1/7/1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Jim Wadsworth, president of the Sebastian Property Owners Association, thanked the Board for allowing them to speak again about the proposed construction of the Sebastian Twin Pairs project. He noted that the Commissioners' backup packets contain 50 pages of opposition to the Twin Pairs project, either through the newspapers, the Sebastian Planning & Zoning Board or through the various home owners associations in the north end of the county. Mr. Wadsworth emphasized that there has been opposition to the project since 1984 and they have not changed their position. The Sebastian Property Owners Association has been against this since 1985 and has never changed their position. Last week they appeared before the Sebastian City Council and appealed to them to pass a resolution to put the question of the Twin Pairs out to referendum in March. They feel that the taxpayers at the north end of the county have jumped through many hoops to let everyone know that they don't like the design of the Twin Pairs project. They object to the transportation impact fees collected in District 3 being spent on the construction of the Twin Pairs when they prefer to see those monies spent on widening the existing roadway to the necessary width to carry the traffic. The widening alternative would not need additional traffic lights within 900 feet of each other on U.S. #1, and would not put our children in double jeopardy at the main intersection where the "Y" is going to come together right there at the east end of the school property. There are various and sundry other reasons why they disagree. Mr. Wadsworth noted that Orange Heights is made up of 90% of retired people who do not want this design. They understand from staff that it will cost $1.2 million to widen the existing roadway compared to only $750,000 to build the Twin Pair design, but they would like to point out that if you take the $210,000 piece of property that the County purchased out on U.S. #1 and take the existing railroad right-of-way from the school easterly to U.S. A, you could raise the additional monies to build the highway as the taxpayers in the northern part of the county would like to see it done. They are asking the Board to please reconsider their decision and go with the alternate plan to widen the existing roadway. He understood that the plan to widen the roadway is on file with the County, but they have heard very little discussion about that alternate, and they are asking the County to put it out to referendum in District 3 in the March election and let the people decide so that this issue can be put to rest once and for all. The City of Sebastian has agreed to pass a resolution to put this on the ballot and they are asking the County do the same. In conclusion, Mr. Wadsworth wished to emphasize that he is not for government by referendum, 27 G